Peanut-stemmer.



T. M. LILLISTON.

PEANUT STEMMER.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 21, 1913.

1,078,506. Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

O s "f INVEN TOR T. M. LILLISTON.

PEANUT STEMMER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.21, 1913.

1,078,506. Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

To all. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs M. LILLISTON, a citizen of the United States,anda resident of the city of Suffolk, in the county of Nansemond, Stateof Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPeanut-Stemmers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to mecha nisms for threshing and moreparticularly to mechanisms designed for stemming peanuts.

The principal object of the invention is to construct a peanut stemmingmechanism comprising a peanut container and a plurality of stemming sawsextending into the container, the parts being arranged in such mannerthat the path of the peanut pods is transverse the plane of rotationofthe saws.

A further object of this invention is to construct a peanut stemmerwherein the movable parts are reduced to a minimum, and in which theprogression of the peanut pods is producedby inclining the stemming sawsto the horizontal in such manner that as the pods are lifted by the sawsthe action of gravity causes them to fall away from the saw by whichthey have been lifted and to engage the succeeding saw, thereby movingthe peanuts step by step from one end of the stemmer to the other.

A still further object of this invention is to produce a peanut stemmerincluding two series of stemming saws, comprising relatively large andsmall saws, arranged in alternation in eachseries and oppositely disposed in such manner that a large saw in one series is arrangedsubstantially opposlte to a small saw in the other series, therebycausing a zig-zag path between or over the saws, to tilt or incl ne thepeanut pods as they pass through the stemmer thus effectively presentingthe ends of the pods toward the stemming saws.

Other and further objects of this inven tionwill in part be obvious andwill in part be pointed out in the specificationheremafter following byreferenceto the accompanying drawings in which like characters representlike parts throughoutthe several figures thereof.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation taken substantiallyon themid-plane of the device, as for example, the line E.E,Fig.

2. Fig. 2 is a view of a section ofthe device taken betweenthe lines CGand D-D of arrows A-A. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail comprising a planview of a portion of the stemmingdevice, said portion beingsubstantially equivalent to the section between the lines C-C and DD,Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows 13-13, but showing thestemming saw shafts extending a slight distance beyond the limits ofsaid section lines. Fig. t is a diagrammatic view showing the effect ofa staggered relation of the stemming saws in relation to the path takenby peanut pods in passing through the machine. Fig. 5 is a fragmentarydetail view of a portion of one of the stemming saws. Fig. 6 is a detailcross elevation showing a section of a modification of the devicewherein the stemming trough is entirely open in the mid-portion of thebottom. Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of a modification of the inventionreferred to in Fig. 6, showing the overlapping relationship of thestemming saws as they are arranged in this modification of theinvention.

The art relating to peanut stemmers shows it to be old and well known touse a storm ming saw construction for cutting the stems from the peanutpods after the peanuts have been pulled or picked from the vines. Thedevices disclosed in the prior art relating to peanut stemming mechanismof this charf when they are presented to the stemming saws, issubstantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the saws.

Applicants device, which will hereinafter be described in detail,comprises a peanut stemmer wherein the plane of rotation of the saws issubstantially at right angles to the general direction of the peanutsinpassing through the stemming mechanism, and the movement of the peanuts,from the entrance end of thestemmer to the exit end, is accomplished byinclining thestemming saws to the horizontalt-hereby causing thestemming saws to lift such peanuts as may be caught thereby and topermit them to drop by gravity from the plane of rotation of one saw tothe other. This causes the peanut pods to take a rapid step by stepmovement through the stemmer, which movement be;

comes substantially a continuous progression when the stemmer is filledwith pods. In applicants device the peanuts must pass each and every sawin a series in passing from one end of the stemmer to the other, whereasin devices of the prior art the peanuts pass only such saws as arearranged transverse the path of the particular peanut pod which ispassing through the machine.

From the foregoing broad description it.

will be noted that. applicants construction is both simple andeconomical in that the only rotating parts are the stemming saws, andthat the maximum eiiiciency of these saws is secured because of the factthe progressive movement of the pods through the machine requires thepods to encounter at least as many saws as are in one series and inpractice causes a pod to encounter substantially all of the saws in thedevice before the pod passes from the exit end of the stemmer.

Referring now to the drawings and more especially to Figs. 1 and 2, thepreferred form of the stemming mechanism comprises .a stationary troughor container 1 which is fixedly mounted upon or within framework 2 insuch manner that the axis of the stationary container is considerablyinclined to the horizontal. Practice has shown that a preferableinclination is that of twenty degrees, as is indicated in Fig. 1 by theangle between the horizontal line Y and the line X, which is parallel tothe axis of the trough. The trough 1 is preferably provided with aclosed upper end 4: adjacent an inlet chute 5, and an open lower endprovided with an exit chute 6. The wall or bottom of the trough isprovided with a plurality of transverse slots 7 which are preferablyspaced an equal distance apart and which extend in alternation todifierent distances on each side of the center line of the trough, as isbest shown in Fig. 3.

The stationary trough 1 is disclosed in the. figures of the drawings asbeing a metallic trough of substantially semi-circular cross section.The trough may be formed of other material than metal and may beV-shaped, rectangular or other shape in cross section, but thesemi-circular form is shown as the preferred configuration.

Mounted upon the framework in the proper relationship one to the other,is a supporting bracket 8 beneath the upper end of the trough, and asupporting bracket 9 beneath the lower end of the trough. Thesesupporting brackets are adapted to carry the bearings 10 for shafts 11and 12. In the preferred form illustrated, the shafts 11 and 12 aresubstantially parallel to the axis of the stemming trough. Each shaftreferred to is adapted to carry a plurality of stemming saws comprisinglarge stemming saws 14:, arranged in alternation with small stemmingsaws 15, as is clearly disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2.

By referring to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be noted that in the preferredform a large stemming saw 14; upon one shaft is arranged substantiallyopposite and in the same slot, as a small stemming saw 15. The shaftsare spaced so that the stemming saws do not interfere one with another,but are sufficiently close so that a line drawn on the bottom of thehopper midway between the series of saws would be a waved line somewhatsimilar to line FF of Figs. 3 and a. In arranging the saws in thismanner it will be noted, particularly from the diagrammatic Fig. 1, thatas the peanuts pass over or between the saws there is a continualtendency to tip the peanuts with reference to the direct axis of thetrough, thus more effectively presenting the stem end of the peanut tothe stemming saws and consequently thereby increasing the probability ofthe stem being cut off, and increasing the probability of stemming allof the peanuts which pass from one end of the device to the other.

By referring to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the saws carried by theshaft 11 have their teeth inclined in one direction while the sawscarried by the shaft 12 have their teeth inclined in the oppositedirection. The shafts are geared together by means of gears 16 and 17 insuch manner that the shafts rotate in opposite directions and they arepreferably driven, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, so that theupper portion of the saws run toward the sides, and away from the bottomof the container or trough. This action has a tendency to constantlylift the peanuts, which will fall to the bottom of the trough under theinfluence of gravity as soon as they escape from a saw. Thus as thepeanuts are lifted and the stems cut off they will fall away from theplane of rotation of the particular saw which has cut the stem, as willbe obvious from an inspec tion of Figs. 1 and 2. As the pod falls fromthe saw, it will roll downward against the succeeding saw in the series,he lifted thereby, and repeat this action until it has passed the laststemming saw in the series, from which it will roll to the exit chute 6,and be discharged from the stemmer.

One of the shafts, for example shaft 11, is provided with a driving gear18, which has been illustrated as a chain sprocket gear, and which maybe driven from any source of power to rotate the stemminp shafts.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the portion of the shafts 11 and 12 uponwhich the stemming saws are mounted, is illustrated as having a squarecross section, and spacing collars 19 are shown as being carried by theshafts to properly space the stemming saws. Any other well knownconstruction may be used with equal facility Within the scope of thisinvention to fasten the stemming saws upon the shafts. V

'l'teferring to Fig. 5, which is a fragmentary View of a stemming saw,it will be noted that the teeth of the steinining saws arearranged insuch manner that the points 20 thereof lie within a circumference whichis less than the circumference in which the heels 21 of the teeth arelocated, and that the throats 22 of the teeth are rounded.

bottom is cut away, thus forming an open space through which dirt andsmall. trash may fall. lhe side walls of the container or trough 101 areformed with projecting ribs 192 that extend downwardly between thestennning; saws 10a; and 105, the stemming saws being carried uponshafts 106 and 107 respectively, as in the preferred form of the device.The stemming saws 10a and 105 are very closely arranged so that thespace between the saws on a shaft is considerably less than the diameterof a normal sized peanut, and the portions of the stemming saws whichare shown as overlapping, run with only sullicient clearance to preventactual contact. From this description it will be noted that in themodification, the bottom of the container or trough is substantiallymade up of the stemming; saws themselves so that the peanut pods restdirectly upon the saws.

In the modified form disclosed in Figs. 6 and 7, the saws are preferablyrun in opposite directions, as is indicated by the arrows. However,under some conditions it is desir able to run the saws in the samedirection. The direction of rotation of the saws does not form a part ofthe present invention.

Having thus described my invention what 1 desire to claim 1. A. peaiuitsleininer comprising a stationary a-eugh having its axis inclined to thehorizontal and being provided with an open lower end, a pair of inclinedshaft-s counted beneath said stemming trough and having; their axessubstantially parallel with the art's of said trough, said trough beingprovided with a plurality of transverse slots in the wall thereof, aseries of relatively ergo and small stemming saws carried by each shaft,said series being arranged in alternation on each shaft and inalternation regarding the relation of one shaft to the other-so that alarge saw upon one shaft is substantially opposlte to a small saw uponthe other shaft, the teeth of the saws carried by one shaft beingoppositely inclined from the teeth of the saws upon the other shaft, andgearing for rotating}; said shafts inopposits directions toward the sideWalls of said trough.

Q. A peanut steininer comprising in. C0111- biuation a- StillZlOllktl"trou h bellll) irovidcd f a: 1 s with an open lower end and no" ng itsaxis substantially inclined to the horizontal, said trou 'h bl-Elli.rovlded with a pluralit of b L? p I 1. 1 d, transverse slots in thebottmn thereon a shaft mounted beneath said trough, said shaft-havingits axis substantially parallel to the B3113 of said trough, a pluralityof stennning saws mounted upon said shaft [and havlng a portion of theircircunil'en ence extending within said trough, the

plane-of rotation of said saws intersecting. the axis of said trough a tsubstantially right angles, and means for rotating said shaft in thedirection of the inclination of the teeth of said stemming saws.

3. in a device of tie described 12 combination, a trough being providedwith slots in the wall thereof, a pair of shafts mounted beneath saidtrough, said shafts beinginclined at substantially the same angle assaid trough, a series of relatively large and small stemming sawscarried by each of said shafts, said series being; alternately arrangedto present a large saw on one shaft substantially opposite a small sawon the other shaft to form a zigzag thereof, and having an open lowerend, a w

shaft carrying a plurality of say-"s having portion of theircircumference extending tln'ough said slots in said trough, said shaftbeing inclined at substantially the same angle as said trough, and meansfor rotating said shaft toward the side of the tren h whereb Y Midhiassae'ewa between said series of saws iis peanutsand the like may besl'ennned by said saws.

5. A, stationary container for p aanuts having its axis inclined to thehorizontal, means for introducing peanuts into the upper end of saidcontainer, moans provided for the exit of said peanuts from the lowerend of said container, and a plurality of stoiinningw saws having theirplane of rotation trans verse the path of said peanuts in their passagefrom one end of said container to the other, and means for rotating saidstemming saws.

6. In a device of the class described" in combination, a stationaryinclined trough provided with transverse slots in the wall thereof saidtrough being provided with an open end, a shaft rotatably mountedbeneath said trough, a plurality of relatively large and sin stemmingsaws mounted upon said shaft and ar anged in alternate series thereon,and means for rotating said shaft to turn the saws toward the side ofsaid container.

'4'. A peanut stennner comprising in combination a stationary containerfor peanuts provided with slots in the wall thereof, means forintroducing peanuts into one end of said container in such manner as tocause the peanuts to traverse the length of suit container, a pair ofshafts having their axes substantially parallel to the axis of saidcontainer, a plurality of stemming saws mounted upon said shafts, andmeans for rotating 'd shafts in op iosite directions toward the si es ofthe trough, substantially as de scribed.

8. In a device of the class described in combination, a trough having aplurality of transverse slots formed in the wall thereof, a pair ofparallel shafts, each shaft cal ying s es of relatively large and smallster in g saws arranged in alternation thereon, a large stemming saw onone shaft arranged opposite to a small stemming saw on the other shaftwhereby a Zig-zag passageway is for ied between the portions of saidsaws extending into said trough, and means for rotating said shafts.

9. In a peanut stemmer in combinatlon, an inclined stationary containerfor said peanuts, a plurality of stemming saws extending into saidcontainer, said stemming saws having their planes of rotation in- 40clined, and means for rotating said stemming saws toward the sides ofthe container in such manner that after the stem has been out from apeanut by said saw the peanut drops by gravity away from the plane ofrotation of said saw.

10. In a device of the class described in combination, an inclinedtrough provided with transverse slots in the Wall thereof, shaft,plurality of saws mounted upon said shaft and having a portion of theirblades extending througn said slots within said trough, said shaft alsobeing inclined, and means for driving shaft to rotate the saws towardthe sides of the trough.

11. In a device of the class described in combination, a stationaryinclined trough having transverse slots in the wall thereof,

a pair of parallel shaftsmounted beneath said trough, a plurality ofstemming saws carried by each of said shafts and extending into thetrough, and means for rotating said shafts for the purpose of stemmingpeanuts and the like and to lift the peanuts from the bottom of thetrough.

THOMAS M. LELLISTON.

L oonwann, V. G. ELAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of ?atents, Washington, D. J.

